


The Golden Chain

by narwhalinspace



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Canon Compliant, During Canon, Ed Swears, Gen, No Plot/Plotless, No Smut, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Watching Someone Sleep, edward can't stop sleeping, it's just a few small ficlets all mashed together with the through line of ed sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29981403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narwhalinspace/pseuds/narwhalinspace
Summary: Ed talked in his sleep.It was one of the first things Al noticed, during the long nights he had nothing to do but find little ways to occupy himself while the world slept. And listening to Ed mutter and holler in dreams was as good a way to pass the time as any.OR Everyone waxes poetic while watching Ed sleep
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Edward Elric & Ling Yao, Edward Elric & Roy Mustang, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell
Kudos: 32





	The Golden Chain

**Author's Note:**

> I got the title from the quote "Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together" by Thomas Dekker. 
> 
> I got the idea for this fic from my headcanon that Ed talks in his sleep. From there, it kind of snowballed into a bunch of characters getting real soft over Sleeping Ed. 
> 
> For the most part, there's no set time these take place except for two. I'd say Alphonse's perspective takes place during canon, Roy's could be pre or during canon, Ling's is during Part 2 while they're in the military hotel, and Winry's is post-Promised Day. 
> 
> Also, I have Al call Ed "Big Brother" instead of just "Brother" because he does in the manga and I like that better.

I. Ed talked in his sleep.

It was one of the first things Al noticed, during the long nights he had nothing to do but find little ways to occupy himself while the world slept. And listening to Ed mutter and holler in dreams was as good a way to pass the time as any.

Sometimes it was funny, Ed gleefully whispering, “I’m so tall” or declaring, “I’ll kick your ass” to whomever he was fighting in his sleep (usually the colonel). Honestly, Al was just glad he wasn’t getting hurt (or worse, court martialed) from these dream fights.

It was also how he knew Ed harbored a huge crush on Winry (as if he hadn’t been obvious enough in his waking hours). Al would never forget the first time Ed said her name with a contented sigh, a small smile crossing his sleeping face. He was half-tempted to tease Ed about it, but didn’t want to face his older brother’s wrath.

The worst nights were when Ed’s dreams turned dark, his sleepy mutterings turned anxious and frightened. Al still remembered that first year after they’d try to bring their mom back, when Ed would call for her in his sleep. Worse was when he’d plead, “Mom, I’m sorry!” If Al had had a stomach, it would’ve twisted in guilt.

But he’d learned over the years not to wake Ed from a nightmare, no matter how badly he wanted to save him from the visions tormenting his unconscious mind. If there was anything Ed hated most, it was seeming weak in front of his little brother. He refused to let Al help shoulder the burden, no matter how deeply he needed comfort.

So, Al had learned to be creative. When he heard the tell-tale whimper of an incoming nightmare, when he saw Ed’s brows furrow and heard his breathing quicken, he’d “accidentally” knock something off a shelf or simply fall over. Anything to cause enough commotion to wake his brother and still have plausible deniability.

The best nights were when Ed woke just enough to have a nonsensical conversation with Al. He’d let Ed talk to him about whatever his dreams dictated, restraining his laughter as best he could. Among his favorite Sleep Conversations were the time Ed came up with a plan to sic an army of Al’s cats on the colonel (Ed’s ever-suffering victim in dreamland) and the time he insisted Granny Pinako was a vampire. When sleep talking Ed was in a particularly chatty mood, he could carry on a conversation for upwards of forty five minutes. His record was 47 minutes exactly. Al had a lot of fun that night.

No, the long nights alone weren’t easy. Not by a long shot. But sometimes they were very entertaining indeed.

* * *

II. Strictly speaking, Ling didn’t need to be here.

Despite his royal background, he was fine crashing anywhere. But hey, if the Elrics were going to keep leaving the window open, he might as well keep breaking into their hotel room. It was an invitation, really.

Al was nowhere in sight, presumably spending the night in the library or some other equally boring place. Ling envied his lack of need for sleep. Imagine having all the hours of the night any day at your disposal. One could accomplish anything and get into all sorts of trouble. Of course, you could get into trouble by sleeping too.

Case in point: Edward Elric, fully dressed (though his shirt was pulled up a bit in the front) and sound asleep atop the covers of his bed. Absolutely dead to the world. Easy pickings for someone up to no good.

Which Ling wasn’t, not really. He was just tired. And he slept better with a warm body beside him.

So, graceful as a crane, he climbed into bed beside Ed. A warm thrill jolted through his body. Yeah, Ling was incredibly attracted to Ed, and somehow the boy looked even more stunning in repose. But Ling wouldn’t go further than a little harmless flirting (which Ed didn’t even seem to register _as_ flirting). The Fullmetal Alchemist was clearly hung up on that mechanic friend of his, Winry. A shame, really. Ed would’ve been fun to mess around with.

Though he hated to settle, Ling would settle for this. He had more important things to worry about anyway, namely his search for immortality. Any flings would have to wait.

But Ed just couldn’t make things easy, could he? As soon as Ling’s eyes began drifting shut, he felt movement on the mattress. Ed curled against him, a soft sigh escaping his lips. Ling felt his entire body freeze, as though to not scare off a skittish animal. _The Fullmetal Alchemist was snuggling him in his sleep._

Ling nearly couldn’t, _wouldn’t_ breathe. If Ed woke up, this would all be over and he definitely wouldn’t be allowed to keep sneaking into their hotel room. Ling needed to be very, very careful.

But also, well, Ed’s unconscious mind sure sought him out quickly. Which begs the question, when is the last time Edward Elric has felt the warm embrace of another human? After all, his brother is a giant metal suit of armor. And Ed doesn’t let anyone touch him when he’s awake, unless he’s in a fight. That makes Ling the first one to offer Ed physical warmth in comfort in who knows how long. How delightful, how _right_ that it should be him.

  
He’ll have to wake up early and find a way to extricate himself without Ed noticing, but that’s a problem for later. For now, he’s going to enjoy this, enjoy having what no one else has.

  
This moment, this closeness, was _his_.

* * *

III. Fullmetal had become far too quiet. A warning, Roy knew, of something bad to come.

  
Roy hadn’t intended on making Fullmetal wait so long. But if he’s going to waste Roy’s time, Roy’s going to waste his. Serves him right for never turning in a report on time.

  
Fullmetal had pitched a fit, stomped and yelled when Roy told him to take a seat. That he’d be with him in a minute. Then proceeded to bitch and moan after dramatically flopping himself onto the couch.

  
“The longer you complain, the longer it’s going to take me to finish my work,” Roy had told him, which made the boy groan in agony. But now it was far too quiet. Roy didn’t trust it, didn’t trust Fullmetal. What was he planning?

  
And then he heard it, so subtle he almost thought he’d imagined it. But no, Fullmetal was quietly snoring. The brat had fallen asleep!

  
Roy’s mouth dropped in disbelief. Fullmetal had fallen asleep in his office. How was he even supposed to handle this? He could barely keep the little shit from pulling on his leash in the best of times. And now? Fullmetal really had no respect for authority.

  
In retrospect, Roy really should’ve known better. Fullmetal did, after all, have a reputation for falling asleep in strange places. How many times had one of his men found the kid asleep in the library? It was exhausting enough being a soldier, Roy well knew, let alone one going through puberty with heavy metal weighing down his body and heavy memories weighing down his mind.

  
Another quiet snore pulled Roy from his thoughts. He watched a bit of drool pool in the corner of Fullmetal’s mouth.

  
 _He’s just a kid._ The thought hit him like a train. _But then, so was I._ He’d only been a teenager in Ishval and, though he wasn’t one to compare trauma, he made it through all right. So would Fullmetal. Otherwise, well.

  
He did tell the kid to join the military. If something happened to Fullmetal, it wasn’t Roy’s fault. But it also was. He was the kid’s commanding officer.

  
So what to do about this? Ed muttered something intelligible in his sleep, his automail fingers twitching in dreams. Maybe, just this once, Roy could pretend he hadn’t noticed Fullmetal had fallen asleep. Maybe today he could show a little mercy.

  
“Eat shit, Colonel Fuckface,” Ed said, disrespectful even in sleep. Maybe mercy could wait for another day. Roy had a subordinate to reprimand.

  
No one said the military life was easy.

* * *

IV. Winry didn’t know what she and Ed were these days.

  
Ever since he and Al had returned home two weeks ago, whole once more (well, minus Ed’s automail leg), she hadn’t had a moment alone with him. That had been fine so far, as she was more than happy to spend time with the both of them. They were her boys and she was ecstatic to have them back.

  
But just because she and Ed hadn’t been alone together, didn’t mean things hadn’t changed between them. Sometimes Ed sat a little closer to her than was strictly necessary. Or she grabbed his hand to lead him to her work room, which also wasn’t necessary. And they both played the game where they’d watch each other when the other wasn’t looking, quickly looking away if they thought they’d be caught.

  
So they hadn’t had the talk yet. And, while Ed was still preoccupied with Al’s recovery, probably wouldn’t.

  
Which brought them to the clovered field where they now lounged, Ed drowsing with his head in her lap. No one commented when he’d laid down on her, not even Al (who was clearly growing impatient with the two of them). But now, as Ed’s head felt heavier in her lap under Al’s watchful eye, a calculating smirk crossed the younger Elric’s face.

  
“I think I’m gonna head back home,” he said. “I’m starting to feel a little chilly.”

  
“Al,” Winry replied, a warning note in her tone. She knew what he was doing. “Do you want us to come back with you?”

  
“No, no,” Al said, waving her away. He sounded just a bit too smug for her taste. “You stay here and keep an eye on Big Brother. Besides, he’s always loved a good meadow nap.”

  
Wait. It had been _Al’s_ idea to spend the afternoon out in the meadow.

  
“How long have you been planning this?” she hissed. Al just grinned, grabbed his cane, and scuffled away faster than he had any right to be.

  
So now, at long last, she was alone with Ed. She sighed and looked down at him, his golden hair a halo around his sleeping face. She almost snorted. There was nothing angelic about Edward Elric, no matter how cherubic he looked in sleep.

  
Still, her stomach fluttered with familiar butterflies. What might it be like to wake up next to him? To see the golden light of the rising sun set him aglow? To nuzzle her face in his sleep-mussed hair and warm body?

  
People were often surprised Winry was such a romantic, given her first love is automail. That was just reductive. Cogs and screws held the world together, but love made it go ‘round. Anyone who disagreed could take a wrench to the skull.

  
Duality existed in Winry and it existed in Ed too. Perhaps that was part of why she’d fallen for him. No, he wasn’t as sweet as his sleeping face suggested, but he had a big heart. He was also, quite frankly, beautiful. His golden eyes, his silken hair, his ever-so-slightly squared jaw. He’d become a man when she wasn’t looking, and she wasn’t planning on looking away again any time soon.

  
She gently began to brush his bangs from his eyes, feeling content for the first time in a long while. His eyelids fluttered in dreams. She only hoped he felt that contentment too.

  
Winry still didn’t know what she and Ed were now, but moments like this made it that okay.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've posted on here and the first one I've written in years. It was just a quick little thing that I couldn't get out of my head. I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading!


End file.
